A nonprofit organization working on gender based violence, spatial justice for women, gender mainstreaming of governance, institutional reforms, and free legal aid and intervention.
Feminist Alliance Trust is a registered NGO based in New Delhi, India. Our thematic areas are (1) Gender Based Violence, (2) Gender, Public Space and Spatial Justice for Women; (3) Gender Mainstreaming of Governance and Institutional Reforms and (4) Access to Justice. Below are some of our key activities under these themes
We support research scholars to conduct original qualitative and quantitative field based research and publication. Our objective is to fill the serious data gap in gender policies and interventions. We also run multimedia awareness raising campaigns on feminist issues. Call for proposal is currently open.
We conduct workshops and skills trainings for corporate executives, civil society personnel, independent development professionals, students, women leaders at the grassroots such as panchayat members, SHG members, writers, artists, and other concerned citizens. These workshops aim for not only specific skills but also critical thinking and transformational learning.
We conduct free legal aid camps, legal awareness workshops for all citizens, free legal counselling and pro-bono lawyers for women facing gender based violence, and lastly, we use law based mechanisms such as right to information and public interest litigation to bring institutional reforms particularly in Women and Child Ministry, National Commission for Women and other Public Institutions.
Feminist Infrastructure
Safe, comfortable and dignified short residence for women who are trying to leave violent homes, be it paternal or matrimonial. This is a dream project and still a work in progress but we already have an amazing success story.
What We Stand For – Our Manifesto
Access to Public Sphere
Gender based division of space as public and private, with women being relegated to the “home” prioritizing “family” is one of the main factors behind women’s inequality and gender-based violence. Women must have equal access not just to the physical public spaces but also the public sphere, the public imagination of the nation, political discussions, and digital public sphere.
Individual Rights
Women must rise about familial roles of mother, daughter, sister etc., and become a self-conscious individual with full citizenship. They must have the means, capacity, and the consciousness to prioritize her individualistic rights guaranteed by the Constitution as well as international covenants such as CEDAW and UDHR, before the community driven religious, customary and traditional roles and duties. Only then can women gain true equality and the nation can truly progress.
Constitution and Liberal Democracy
Constitution is the source of all our rights. These rights are owed to us by the State on account of being citizens. However, women, in any society, are often not treated as full citizens and their Constitutional rights remain unrealized. We believe every Indian woman deserve to learn about and utilize their constitutional rights to the fullest potential along with the rights arising out of UDHR and CEDAW. We believe women’s rights and dignity be based on Constitutional and liberal values.
Feminist Alliance Trust was established with a simple purpose: to build alliances with civil society organizations and create spaces for sharing feminist knowledge, skills, and lived experiences. The Trust was formally registered in March 2025, but its vision is rooted in the long-standing commitment of its founder—Dr. Sanjukta Basu, the Settlor of the Trust and Ms. Leher Sethi, Trustee. At present, the Trust is led by its founders who are in the process of recruiting Trustees and constituting a governing board to strengthen its institutional framework. The Trust does not have institutional funding at this stage, and its expenses are being borne personally by Dr. Basu.
The driving motivation behind the Trust is the pursuit of a just and equitable society that guarantees rights and dignity to all women (and non-binary people), across class, caste, religion, and other intersectional identities, is committed to upholding constitutional values and the principles of liberal democracy. The Trust envisions a society where women have full access to justice, equal participation in the public sphere, and recognition as complete citizens in their own right—not defined merely in relational terms as someone’s mother, wife, daughter, or sister, but acknowledged as autonomous individuals with agency, rights, and voice.
Feminist Alliance Trust Founder Dr Sanjukta Basu spending a day with Google Internet Sathee at Purulia, West Bengal.
Going against friendly advice and cautious suggestions, we deliberately chose the name “Feminist Alliance” despite the baggage it carries. We believe that feminism is for all, and that women’s issues are, in fact, society’s issues. The term feminism has often been misrepresented and misused, leading to its unfair reputation. Our objective is to spark meaningful conversations that reclaim the word and its true spirit. We recognize that patriarchal structures, systems, and the gender norms they enforce affect all individuals—including men. Therefore, feminism and the struggle for equal rights led by women ultimately benefit men as well, by dismantling restrictive norms and creating a freer, more equitable society for all.
Trustee Ms. Leher Sethi, Founder, People against Patriarchy Summit, giving the key note speech at the inaugural summit in April 2025.
Meet the team
Feminist Alliance Trust is founded by Dr Sanjukta Basu with support from Ms Leher Sethi. The two of them are presently the only Trustees, and Dr Basu the Settlor. We are in the process of creating a Board of Honorary Trustees and Governing Trustees and adding members to the program teams. We are also looking for volunteers and interns. If you wisht to join our team, please write to volunteer@feministallianceindia.org
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Get in Touch
We are a new organization. We looking for volunteers to help us through the birthing and teething days. Please get in touch with any kind of support. You can use the form next to this column or write to contact[at]feministallianceindia[dot]org
Office Address
We work from home and also have a shared workspace at We Work.
SDMC Primary School Ln, Block A, Shivalik Colony, Saket, New Delhi, Delhi 110017